“The level is very low. This is not my problem. I consider him a man with a very low profile.”

For the record, Jose is, indeed, 4cm shorter than Conte.

And for good measure, Jose's not just a "little man", he's also a "fake", according to Conte.

Dragging poor old Claudio Ranieri into their tiff, the Italian added: "I remember he offended Ranieri over his English.

“And then when Ranieri was sacked he put a shirt on for Ranieri. You are a fake."

But if you think it's just the media who are building up the hype for Sunday's showdown then you are very wrong.

This is real.

Conte himself laid down the gauntlet last month and said he can't wait to meet his arch nemesis at Old Trafford,..mano e mano.

While not sitting in a huge arm-chair behind a leather-bound desk in a dark office, he warned: "It’s a good opportunity when we play Manchester United to clarify with him if there is anything. To meet face-to-face.